TOM

SAYERS (1826–1865)  , English pugilist, was born at Brighton on the 25th of May 1826 . By trade a bricklayer, he began his career as a prize fighter in 1849 and won battle after battle, his single defeat being at the hands of Nat Langham in October 1853 . In 1857 he gained the championship . His fight with the American, John C . Heenan, the Benicia Boy, a much heavier man than himself, is perhaps the most famous in the history of the English prize ring . It took place at Farnborough on the 17th of April 186o and lasted two hours and six minutes, thirty-seven rounds being fought . After Sayers's right arm had been injured the crowd pressed into the ring and the fight was declared a draw . £3000 was raised by public subscription for Sayers, who withdrew from the ring and died on the 8th of November 1865 . The champion was 5 ft . 82 in. in height and his fighting weight was under 11 stone . An account of the fight between Sayers and Heenan is given by Frederick Locker-Lampson in My Confidences (1896) .